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Justis Fearsson #2
His Father's Eyes
Book #2 in The Case Files of Justis Fearsson, a new contemporary fantasy series from fantasy all-star David B. Coe. A hardboiled, magic-using private detective battles dark sorcerers in Phoenix, Arizona.
Justis Fearsson is a weremyste. He wields potent magic, but every month, on the full moon, he loses his mind. He’s also a private detective, who can’t afford to take time off from his latest investigation while his sanity goes AWOL.
A legion of dark sorcerers has descended on Phoenix, wreaking havoc in the blistering desert heat. With the next moon phasing approaching, Jay has to figure out what connects a billionaire financier and a vicious drug kingpin to an attempted terrorist attack, a spate of ritual killings, and the murder of a powerful runemyste. And he has to do it fast. Because these same dark sorcerers have nearly killed the woman he loves and have used their spells to torment Jay’s father. Now they have Jay in their crosshairs, and with his death they intend to extend their power over the entire magicking world. But Jay has other plans, and no intention of turning his city, or those he loves, over to the enemy.
Justis Fearsson is a weremyste. He wields potent magic, but every month, on the full moon, he loses his mind. He’s also a private detective, who can’t afford to take time off from his latest investigation while his sanity goes AWOL.
A legion of dark sorcerers has descended on Phoenix, wreaking havoc in the blistering desert heat. With the next moon phasing approaching, Jay has to figure out what connects a billionaire financier and a vicious drug kingpin to an attempted terrorist attack, a spate of ritual killings, and the murder of a powerful runemyste. And he has to do it fast. Because these same dark sorcerers have nearly killed the woman he loves and have used their spells to torment Jay’s father. Now they have Jay in their crosshairs, and with his death they intend to extend their power over the entire magicking world. But Jay has other plans, and no intention of turning his city, or those he loves, over to the enemy.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published July 7, 2015
2 people are currently reading
139 people want to read
About the author
David B. Coe
66 books260 followersDavid B. Coe is an author of fantasy novels and short stories. He lives with his wife, Nancy Berner, and their two daughters on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee.
He has begun writing a new historical fantasy series under the pen name D.B. Jackson. The first one is titled Thieftaker, published in 2012.
He has begun writing a new historical fantasy series under the pen name D.B. Jackson. The first one is titled Thieftaker, published in 2012.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
March 16, 2018
Another good mystery-urban fantasy with an interesting system of magic & good characters. It's perfect lunch time reading. There's enough of a story to keep me really interested, yet not confusing. Coe manages quite a plot with only a dozen characters or so. I liked it so much that I'm going to read the next one immediately.
April 24, 2017
Solid addition to this series about private investigator and weremyste (wizard with moon cycle problems) Justin Fearsson.
June 21, 2016
Buena historia de este inspector privado que sabe magia. Sigue la pauta de lo que yo llamo "síndrome de Goku", en el que se presenta al adversario del protagonista, se demuestra una y otra vez que es muy superior al protagonista, incluso con enfrentamientos entre ellos, en los que gana con una mano atada a la espalda el adversario, para en el esperado final, a través de sus amigos, de su inteligencia, y de algo de suerte, Goku le vence. Pero es un libro que se lee en un suspiro y que acabas con una sonrisa en la boca por lo bien que has pasado el rato. No le pidas mucho más. B+
June 23, 2016
If Tony Hillerman (if he were still alive) and Jim Butcher decided to get together and write an urban fantasy series together, I imagine this would be it. I loved the combination of Native American/Pagan folklore (it is set in Arizona after all) as well as the fact that the characters were easy to relate to.
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November 2, 2020The main talent that Justiss seems to have is getting into trouble with other sorcerers who can reliably kick his butt. Once again, Phoenix is invaded by powerful users of black magic, who are using blood sacrifices to power their rituals. And again, as soon as he starts investigating their activities, he gets smacked down hard.
The bad guys, to their dismay, make the mistake of threatening people close to him, which definitely motivates him to get to the bottom of the crimes and to thwart their plots. Justiss' father, it turns out, was not as powerful a mage as his son is going to be one day, and even in his untrained way, he comes up with some very powerful spells when sufficiently motivated.
If this series keeps going along the same lines, it might turn out to be as good as Dresden.
The bad guys, to their dismay, make the mistake of threatening people close to him, which definitely motivates him to get to the bottom of the crimes and to thwart their plots. Justiss' father, it turns out, was not as powerful a mage as his son is going to be one day, and even in his untrained way, he comes up with some very powerful spells when sufficiently motivated.
If this series keeps going along the same lines, it might turn out to be as good as Dresden.
July 5, 2018
David Coe doesn't disappoint. His Father's Eyes, the second novel featuring weremyst Justis Fearsson, takes us deeper in the world where a small percentage of the population can cast magical spells. The downside is the once a month, when the moon becomes full, weremysts become unhinged and the toll increases over time. As a result, Fearsson's father is incoherent much of the time, but in this novel something is adding to his normal issues. Readers don't have to have read Spell Blind, the first book in the series, to enjoy His Father's Eyes. You just have to enjoy suspenseful writing and a well-plotted story in a world where were forms are real and one could be living next store.
August 13, 2018
This is the second book in the series, and once again, magic user Justis Fearsson is up to his eyeballs in trouble. This time, the weremyst (as magic users are known in this universe) is fighting against dark sorcerors that use blood magic to power their spells. Somehow, Justis has to defeat them before the moon addles his mind, and help save his girlfriend and father as well.
The story is excellent, the magic system is unique, and the final battle is well thought out and portrayed. I look forward to reading the next book.
The story is excellent, the magic system is unique, and the final battle is well thought out and portrayed. I look forward to reading the next book.
February 9, 2022
I was wary after reading the book 1 in this series, Spell Blind. I found this book to be less a Dresden lite and more focused. Still, I don’t find it original or overly well done, but it was a nice story that I enjoyed.
Last thoughts: if I hear about the lack of socks once more…
PLEASE stop recycling descriptions
Last thoughts: if I hear about the lack of socks once more…
PLEASE stop recycling descriptions
May 23, 2022
A somewhat predictable read. Plot and characters were formulaic. Not a bad story but there wasn’t anything original or inventive either. Characters were a little one dimensional. I didn’t find the book offensive at all and I’ll probably try other books and hope the author learns a little nuance and subtlety in his characters
January 4, 2018
I read the whole series and I loved the mixture of police procedural and fantasy.
November 9, 2017
This book is really good similar the first. It have everything I like from the first book, example, really interesting magic and characters, only more. I am happy third book published now!
February 24, 2018
Was not disappointed, actually found this one a better than it's predecessor.
January 3, 2020
Another suspenseful crime/fantasy tale about Justis Fearsson the ex cop private investigator. Very entertaining.
February 8, 2017
Published 2015. Pretty so-so for the genre. Easy to read.
September 22, 2016
It was good to see Justis and his father working together. Did I say this was reminiscent of Rockford Files back in the 7o's?
April 2, 2016
An excellent second book in the series (the first being Spell Blind).
The events of Spell Blind have resulted in Fearsson's business taking off somewhat. However, life is never that simple when you're the main character in an urban fantasy series, so the action kicks off pretty quickly .
Shortly, we have one mysteriously dead terrorist, and an equally mysteriously broken plane. Fearsson gets some new allies, but plenty of new enemies to balance things out, and discovers that things are much more complicated than he thought they were.
We get to know a bit more about Fearsson's past, and also his likely future - which has the potential to be short. And we see a bit more of Billie Castle - I like her; in fact, Coe does write good female characters in general. He manages to avoid stereotypes, and writes women as actual people.
We also find out a bit more about the runemystes, and get introduced to the in-universe version of were-animals. The magical community is expanding; makes me wonder whether we've now seen the lot, or whether Coe will introduce something new in the next book.
The action moves fast; Fearsson is learning more about how to use his magic effectively, and the cast of characters is widening. This series definitely has legs - I shall be looking out for the next one.
The events of Spell Blind have resulted in Fearsson's business taking off somewhat. However, life is never that simple when you're the main character in an urban fantasy series, so the action kicks off pretty quickly .
Shortly, we have one mysteriously dead terrorist, and an equally mysteriously broken plane. Fearsson gets some new allies, but plenty of new enemies to balance things out, and discovers that things are much more complicated than he thought they were.
We get to know a bit more about Fearsson's past, and also his likely future - which has the potential to be short. And we see a bit more of Billie Castle - I like her; in fact, Coe does write good female characters in general. He manages to avoid stereotypes, and writes women as actual people.
We also find out a bit more about the runemystes, and get introduced to the in-universe version of were-animals. The magical community is expanding; makes me wonder whether we've now seen the lot, or whether Coe will introduce something new in the next book.
The action moves fast; Fearsson is learning more about how to use his magic effectively, and the cast of characters is widening. This series definitely has legs - I shall be looking out for the next one.
September 18, 2015
Opening the book with a monologue from a possibly insane person who is being tortured by possibly non-existent beings is creepy - especially if it's not all in his imagination.
Justis was a cop, now he's a private eye. What kind of name is that for detective? He must have taken some awful ribbing about it, but non on-page. He visits his father often, hoping that dad will recognize him, hoping that dad has remembered to eat within the last day or two, hoping that he himself will never end up like his dad but afraid he will. After all, Justis does the magic that burned his dad's brain.
Justis takes this up with his spirit-mentor, but there's no time to deal with it because there's a case. Someone died in a public place, and the cop who used to be Justis's partner wants a magician's opinion. The new partner isn't too happy about this - professional jealousy over a partner can be as bad as personal jealousy.
Plot twists - Was it the right person? Was someone else in that very public place the target? Does the criminal king-pin who took offense at this death have anything to do with the death? Is his father hallucinating or having true visions?
Are there really evil magicians, who have found a way to avoid brain damage by really nasty methods, and is Justis going to have a first-hand look? Will Justis get eaten by a shape-shifter? We know he stays alive for the sequel, but a shifter can mangle someone permanently...
What a roller-coaster of a book.
Justis was a cop, now he's a private eye. What kind of name is that for detective? He must have taken some awful ribbing about it, but non on-page. He visits his father often, hoping that dad will recognize him, hoping that dad has remembered to eat within the last day or two, hoping that he himself will never end up like his dad but afraid he will. After all, Justis does the magic that burned his dad's brain.
Justis takes this up with his spirit-mentor, but there's no time to deal with it because there's a case. Someone died in a public place, and the cop who used to be Justis's partner wants a magician's opinion. The new partner isn't too happy about this - professional jealousy over a partner can be as bad as personal jealousy.
Plot twists - Was it the right person? Was someone else in that very public place the target? Does the criminal king-pin who took offense at this death have anything to do with the death? Is his father hallucinating or having true visions?
Are there really evil magicians, who have found a way to avoid brain damage by really nasty methods, and is Justis going to have a first-hand look? Will Justis get eaten by a shape-shifter? We know he stays alive for the sequel, but a shifter can mangle someone permanently...
What a roller-coaster of a book.
March 12, 2016
Another competent piece of urban fantasy without gun porn elements and with sympathetic and relatable characters. Coe has some quirks that are occasionally distracting, but this second book was notably better than the first. He's introduced a big bad (that has a passing resemblance to a certain character in the Dresden books) that is compelling and I look forward to more volumes in the series. Oh, another really good think about this series - it's not YA. I don't have a problem with YA per se, but it has infiltrated the fantasy genre and its sub-genres to the point where I'm wondering when did the problems of teenagers ever outdo or outweigh the problems we adults face daily. I like it as a change of pace, but too many authors have moved into the space in the hopes of profiting from the Harry Potter phenomenon without realizing why Potter was written the way it was. Of course, publishers are falling all over themselves to fill the space - there are dollar signs in the YA air.
Teenagers are really not all that interesting, not even in fantastical worlds. We thought we were interesting when we were teenager, but the fact is, teenagers are pretty banal, unless they're vying for a Darwin award.
Teenagers are really not all that interesting, not even in fantastical worlds. We thought we were interesting when we were teenager, but the fact is, teenagers are pretty banal, unless they're vying for a Darwin award.
August 16, 2015
How does a person grow up watching a parent succumb to madness, knowing their life will follow the same path? Jay Fearsson has chosen his ability over the drugs that might keep him sane, even as he cares for his father whose mental illness seems to be worsening in a new and frightening way. Meanwhile, he is learning that crafting is not enough to keep him safe from guns and crafters more powerful than he is, and in His Father's Eyes, it seems everyone is more powerful. This book read very fast, although I had to put it down several times when Jay seemed to have no way out of the trouble he could not avoid finding. The world building continues to be strong and believable with the introduction of weres and necromancers. Jay is forced to make distasteful choices to keep the people he loves safe, and I want to see whether these choices come back to bite him in the ass in book #3, Shadow's Blade.
December 5, 2016
Much I could say, this is a well thought out world with a unique meme-I think that is the correct word here. Magic uses are influenced by the full moon like weres as unpeople who change into animals during the full moon. In the mystic's case they go crazy even though their ability get stronger.
The characters are well thought out even though certain ones accept magic rather easily. The descriptions of scenery and action scenes are good. The plot goes forward without much if any speed bumps. In this book-second in a series-the Hero is surprised by many things he learns. A couple I was surprised he didn't know already but that is a personal observation and didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book.
It is on the dark side as most Urban Fantasy books are but not as bad as some are.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly. There is a mystery, action, a hero who has to think new things through, and people in danger. But get the first book before you get this one.
The characters are well thought out even though certain ones accept magic rather easily. The descriptions of scenery and action scenes are good. The plot goes forward without much if any speed bumps. In this book-second in a series-the Hero is surprised by many things he learns. A couple I was surprised he didn't know already but that is a personal observation and didn't lessen my enjoyment of the book.
It is on the dark side as most Urban Fantasy books are but not as bad as some are.
I recommend this book wholeheartedly. There is a mystery, action, a hero who has to think new things through, and people in danger. But get the first book before you get this one.
October 8, 2015
David B. Coe has a second tale about Justis Fearsson, ex-cop and private detective who uses his magical weremyste powers to help solve crimes. Some one is torturing his father through His father’s Eyes (hard from Baen) and the trail leads to weremystes who use blood to enhance their spells. Helped by an immortal, ancient witch. Helped by Nasmid, the rune myste training him, Justis must work with a drug lord and his ex–partner Cop to confront the evil mystes who are killing the homeless in order to make slaves of various were’s in the area Very exciting and fun. I like the revolutionary Boston tales better.
November 22, 2015
I'm not going to summarize this book, as it has been summarized a lot in previous reviews. I loved this book! It was better than Spell Blind, as I feel that the characters have really come to life in this one. I love how flawed Justis and his father are. I love the cheeky, child-like qualities of Namid, and I enjoyed the rather unexpected alliance between Justis and Amaya. The relationship between Justis and Billie is also quite enjoyable - I do wish that she had played a larger part in this one, but I think we will see more of her in book 3. And now, I have to wait until May 2016 for book 3.......
January 27, 2016
I like books that draw me in immediately as this one did. Coe makes good use of the genre tropes which makes Justis Fearsson's world an easy one to enter and understand, and we see how his vulnerabilities also fuel his determination—despite the odds. The story had great pacing and I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read. The downside was I read it too quickly and was finished in two days!
August 21, 2016
Great forward movement in the story line. I especially like the back story on Justis's family. His father's condition is a lot more comprehensible now. Also, it appears that the family has been under the gun for a lot longer than their awareness. Once again, I reiterate how nice it is to read an ADULT urban fantasy.
April 22, 2016
Second novel in a series. Strong opening chapter from the POV of Justis's dad, a weremyste who's losing his grip on reality. Lots of action and the mystery has some nice twists. Lots of plot threads left hanging for future novels.
January 10, 2016
This series is very similar to the Dresden Files. Similar overall plot, and similar character types. It is very well written, engrossing and enjoyable.
Very much worth the read, waiting for more Justis. Looking forward to reading more Coe.
Very much worth the read, waiting for more Justis. Looking forward to reading more Coe.
November 27, 2015
Nice urban fantasy detective novel, read the first one though or you will be confused though it's not as good.
Or maybe skip this series, it is JAUF.
Or maybe skip this series, it is JAUF.
February 21, 2016
Another good one from David Coe. I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
March 30, 2016
I really enjoyed this book, although it veered closer to horror than I generally like. I liked the relationship between the protagonist and his dad especially.
June 3, 2016
I really like this series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews